Finding Strength through God’s Grace

“But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” -2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV)

These words from Paul the Apostle were written to the struggling church at Corinth, one he loved dearly but that church had questioned Paul’s “authenticity” as a missionary and leader because he had suffered so many hardships. Did not God take care of those who loved Him? Why, then, had Paul suffered, and was he really a “true apostle” of the Lord Jesus Christ? If so, why then had he endured near-death, shipwreck, beatings, and why would he suffer eventual imprisonment (after this letter to the Corinthian Church was written)? Paul wanted the Corinthian Christians to know assuredly that being a Christian did not guarantee that one would escape suffering and persecution. But through it all, the Christian can find strength to be faithful to the Lord and keep working as a servant in the church, leading others to know the“grace of God that passes all understanding.” I like one of my friend’s explanation of God’s grace, using the letters in the word: “GRACE: God’s (gift of) Redemption At Christ’s Expense.”

Compare Paul’s sufferings with this statement of suffering from “The Greatest Preacher in the English-speaking World”—Dr. John Henry Jowettt (1863-1923), who served churches both in England and America, and back in England again: “You seem to imagine that I have no ups and downs, but just a level and lofty stretch of spiritual attainment with unbroken joy and equanimity. By no means! I am often perfectly wretched and everything appears most murky.” (quoted from The Wiersbe Bible Commentary. NT. Colorado Springs: David C. Cook Publishers. 2007, p. 502).

Think of Christians, even in our present day, who are undergoing severe persecution for their faith and are either being killed on sight or placed into terrible prisons because they will not stop preaching when that is what God has set them apart to do. There is a growing unrest and severe treatment of Christian believers going on in many places in the world today. Even in America, a nation founded on principles of liberty and as a place to worship God freely without persecution, today there is a strong and growing anti-Christian movement. On National Day of Prayer, May 3, 2018, President Donald Trump pledged to launch and support a “Christian Initiative” in America. Pray earnestly that Christians in America will turn again to God’s grace for help in our time of grave trouble and unrest.

“In Times Like These,” goes the gospel song, with words and music written by Ruth Caye Jones in 1944 when the world (and the USA) was in the midst of World War II. Barry Pickens (location/state unknown) wrote on the “Google” listing of the hymn: “No matter what you may be going through, the answer to all life’s problems is to grip the Solid Rock, Jesus.” May we pray daily for His grace to overcome, as Paul said of his problem, “the thorn in the flesh,” whatever our difficulties might be. “In times like these I have a Savior,/In times like these I have an anchor/I’m very sure, I’m very sure/My anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!/This Rock is Jesus, Yes, He’s the One;/This Rock is Jesus, The only One!/I’m very sure, I’m very sure/My anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!” - Ethelene Dyer Jones. May 27, 2018.

Giving to Others, A Christian's Privilege

"By this we know love, that He laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk, but in deed and in truth." - 1 John 3:16-18 (ESV)

I have noted that many church congregations do not always like sermons on tithing and giving. Comments may be heard from parishioners such as, "All you hear from pastor and leaders at the church is give, give, give to this cause and that cause; or tithe, tithe, tithe." Could it be a guilty conscience on the part of those who do not tithe and give that causes them to complain? Because pastors sense that it displeases some in their congregations to hear preaching on tithing and giving , they may refrain from exploring the subjects in their sermons, even if it might be appropriate at times to pursue these teachings. It is well, then, that we have a lesson on giving, as in the adult Sunday School lesson for May 20 2018, entitled, "Giving Faithfully," with scripture from 2 Corinthians 9: 1-15.  God often uses money to reveal the real love and motivations of our heart. In Matthew 6:21, Jesus taught: "...where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (ESV).

Defined, the tithe is the tenth part of one's earnings (or goods) set aside and given for the work of the Lord. And offering, then, would be that given beyond the tithe. Briefly, here is a review of some of the Bible's teachings on tithing and giving: Abraham gave 1/10 (a tithe) of the booty he had taken in a war to the Priest Melchizedec of Salem (see Genesis 14:18-20). When Jacob was sent by his father Isaac to Paddan-aram to his Uncle Laban's to seek a wife from among his mother Rebecca's people, he had a dream the first night out. He realized from t he dream that God was in every place, not just in Israel. He promised, upon a safe return, to tithe a full tenth of his possessions (see Genesis 28:18-22). The Old Testament gives many stipulations for the tithe. Here are some of them: a tithe of the agricultural products harvested was to be used for a harvest feast celebrating God's provision (see Deuteronomy 14:22-27). The third year's tithes from crops were to be set aside to provide for the Levites (priests), widows, orphans and foreigners in Israel (see Deut. 14:26-29). Malachi 8:8-12 teaches that failure to bring the tithe into God's storehouse is robbing God. Faithfulness in presenting the tithe, on the other hand, will bring blessings to those who are faithful in tithing. "Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need" ((Malachi 3:10. ESV).

In the New Testament, the Rabbis taught that there were to be three separate tithes: one for support of the Levites, one for special religious celebrations, and one for charitable causes (for example: widows and orphans). Jesus taught that we should consider more important aspects of the Christian life than just strict tithing. He urged us to tithe and to give, but importantly, to live justly and to love mercy. In Matthew 23:23 Jesus said, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: Justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!" He stated this truth again in Luke 11:42: "But woe to you, Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God." The central truth for the adult Sunday School lesson for May 20, 2018 is stated succinctly: "Believers show trust in God by using their resources to meet the needs of others." (-Rev. Micah Carter, writer of the "Explore the Bible" lesson on 2 Corinthians 9:1-145 for Sunday, May 20, 2018. Nashville: Lifeway, 2018. p. 109).

I believe firmly that it is both an obligation and a privilege for a Christian to tithe and to bring offerings to present at the church regularly and faithfully. We gratefully remember that Christ through His sacrifice made possible salvation, an abundant life on earth as we live for Him, and life everlasting in Heaven. All of these privileges are for us who believe in Him. He gave; therefore, we can give of our means. By our giving, we can help our church and others. God loves a cheerful giver. He blesses us as we seek to bless others by being obedient in gladly and faithfully presenting God's tithe and our offerings. - Ethelene Dyer Jones. May 20, 2018.